About

Abraham Singer is an associate professor of management and business ethics at the Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago. His research primarily focuses on political theory and its relation to organizations and corporations. He is the author of The Form of the Firm (2019) and co-author of The Sanity of Satire (2020) and Everyone’s Business (2024), as well as articles published in journals like American Journal of Political Science, Business Ethics Quarterly, Journal of Politics, and the Journal of Business Ethics.

Andrew Winston is a globally-recognized expert on megatrends and sustainable business. He was ranked #3 on the Thinkers50 list of the most influential management thinkers in the world. Andrew’s books on strategy – including Green to Gold, The Big Pivot, and Net Positive, which was co-authored with legendary CEO Paul Polman – have sold over a quarter million copies in 15 languages. The Financial Times selected Net Positive as one of the Best Business Books of the Year. Andrew is a highly sought-after and inspirational speaker to audiences of executives around the world. He received degrees in economics, business, and environmental management from Princeton, Columbia, and Yale.

An innovative leader and standard-setter for responsible business and investment, Bennett Freeman has co-founded multi-stakeholder initiatives and coalitions focused on the extractives, technology, and apparel sectors including the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, the Global Network Initiative, the Cotton Campaign, and B4Ukraine.  Freeman was the lead author of Shared Space Under Pressure: Business Support for Civic Freedoms and Human Rights Defenders (2018) which has inspired and informed corporate policies and actions around the world.  Previously, he served as Senior VP for Sustainability Research and Policy at Calvert Investments, and served as a Clinton presidential appointee in three positions at the US Department of State, including as deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor from 1999-2001.  Freeman was Manager-Corporate Affairs at GE from 1985–93.

Mr. Freed is widely respected as one of the leading figures in the money and politics space. Under his leadership, CPA produces the annual CPA-Zicklin Index, which benchmarks the S&P 500 companies on their political disclosure and accountability policies and practices, and TrackYourCompany.org, a searchable, sortable database on company political spending. He helped develop the Center’s innovative strategy of using corporate governance to address the risks companies face from political spending. As a result of CPA’s efforts, political disclosure and accountability is recognized as the norm.

He draws on his long experience in journalism, on Capitol Hill, and in strategic public affairs. He speaks widely and co-authored major CPA reports including Collision Course and Conflicted Consequences, the first examinations of the heightened risks to companies of conflicted political spending. In addition, he co-authored The Conference Board Handbook on Corporate Political Activity and articles in the Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, Financial Times and Reuters.

Cami co-leads Volans’ work on corporate advocacy, having developed best-in-class methodologies to support multinational leaders including Unilever on climate policy engagement and disclosure. Cami also co-leads Volans’ multi-stakeholder work on mobilising trade associations as a force for good, delivered in partnership with WBCSD’s Positive Policy Engagement Advisory Group, as well as a long-term project to mobilise investors on real economy policy engagement with Generation Foundation. A scientist by background, Cami has also worked across strategy and capacity-building projects for several Volans clients. Cami regularly speaks on corporate political engagement, most recently at Anthropy 2025.

David Vogel is the Soloman Lee Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Business Ethics at Berkeley Haas and Professor Emeritus of Political Science. He has written extensively on both environmental management and government regulation.  In 2017, he received the Elinor Ostrom Award from the American Political Science Association in recognition of his lifetime contribution to the study of environmental policy. His latest book is “California Greenin’: How the Golden State Became an Environmental Leader” (Princeton University Press, 2018).  Since 1982, Vogel has served as editor of Berkeley Haas management journal, The California Management Review.

Erik Wohlgemuth is the CEO of Future 500, where he leads efforts to bridge trust between corporations, advocates, investors, and philanthropists in pursuit of business as a force for good. With nearly 30 years of experience in corporate sustainability, Erik is a seasoned advisor to executives across sectors and political lines. His expertise lies in stakeholder engagement and conflict depolarization, helping opposing sides find common ground through principled, human-centered dialogue. 

He holds an MBA from Yale’s School of Management and a Master of Environmental Management from Yale’s School of the Environment. Erik also contributes his leadership to the Pacific Forest Trust, Yale SOM’s West Coast Advisory Board, and Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Based in Portland, Oregon, Erik balances his professional mission with a love for baking and the outdoors, often found exploring nature with his family.

Hugh C. Welsh is the President of dsm-firmenich North America and Head of Legal for dsm-firmenich Americas, a global leader in Health, Nutrition & Beauty worldwide. Hugh guides strategic initiatives at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and global business, driving impact across a broad spectrum of industries.

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Hugh is deeply committed to public service and systemic change. He serves as Co-Chair of the ReadyNation CEO Early Life Task Force, addressing the national childcare crisis, and holds board positions with the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, Union County College, and the Global Business Alliance, where he serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee. 

Hugh holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts and Seton Hall Law School, and has completed executive programs at IMD, Wharton, and Harvard Business School. His career reflects a consistent focus on principled leadership, global collaboration, and purpose-driven progress.

Joe serves as Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel for Sustainable Banking and Mortgage Finance at the American Bankers Association. Since joining the ABA in 1997, Joe has provided counsel on housing, real estate finance, community and economic development, Federal Home Loan Bank and other government sponsored enterprise related issues as well as on general financial industry issues. At ABA, Joe oversaw the creation of ABA’s Federal Home Loan Bank Committee, and its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Working Group and Climate Task Force. In addition to GSE and FHLB issues, Joe also oversees ABA’s mutual bank, and ESG and Sustainable Banking efforts.

Prior to his tenure at the ABA, Joe was a legislative representative for the City of New York, and a banking aide to U.S. Representative Doug Bereuter of Nebraska. Joe worked closely on the development of the HUD Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee program as well as the development and implementation of a variety of rural housing programs.

A native of Homer, Nebraska, Joe graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska where he received a B.A. in English Literature, and Georgetown University Law Center where he earned his J.D.

He lives in Washington, DC.

Dr. Joshua N. Weiss is a renowned negotiation and conflict resolution and leadership expert. As a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Negotiation Project and co-founder of the Global Negotiation Initiative at Harvard University, Dr. Weiss brings unparalleled expertise to his field. He also directs the MS in Leadership and Negotiation program at Bay Path University and runs a private consulting firm, offering tailored negotiation and conflict resolution, and leadership solutions for businesses, organizations, international entities, governments, and individuals.

An expert on business-government relations, sustainable capitalism, and corporate reporting and auditing, Professor Ramanna studies how organisations and leaders build trust with stakeholders. He teaches on managing organisations in polarised times, which led to his 2024 book The Age of Outrage. His scholarship has won numerous awards, including the Journal of Accounting and Economics Best Paper Prize.

Professor Ramanna established the Case Centre on Public Leadership and the Transformational Leadership Fellowship at the School, the latter a bespoke, by-invitation programme for senior leaders looking to reimagine their public-service impact. In 2022, he co-founded the non-profit E-liability Institute, where he serves as principal investigator, with a mission to drive decarbonisation processes through rigorous GHG accounting.

Lisa is the Director of the Corporations and Society Initiative at Stanford GSB. CASI fosters dialogue and influences outcomes that improve corporations in society and the legislative frameworks which govern them. It places Stanford GSB at the forefront of the national and global conversation involving academics, policymakers, media, and Stanford students and the community.

Lisa began her working life in Washington DC, including roles on Capitol Hill and in the White House, and as a Presidential appointee to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Following business school, she was Director of Business Development at NBC News, leading the creation of MSNBC, and went on to head the digital divisions of Sony and then Viacom CBS News. Prior to joining Stanford, Lisa founded The Global Fund for Forgotten People and served as Chief Executive for a decade. The Fund works to help the people who need it most: the persecuted, the elderly, abandoned and disabled children, refugees, and the homeless.

Lisa holds an MBA from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration and a BA in Political Science from the University of Southern California.

Manu Meel is the CEO of BridgeUSA, where he leads a national student movement focused on bridging political divides and transforming how young people engage in democracy. Passionate about combating affective polarization—the emotional mistrust between political groups—Manu empowers the next generation to foster dialogue over division. 

Named a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in 2022, Manu’s work has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, The Washington Post, offering insights on democracy and youth engagement. Manu hosts The Hopeful Majority podcast, frequently advises political leaders on depolarization strategies and supports pro-democracy initiatives nationwide. His mission is clear: to elevate a new model of civic engagement grounded in empathy, responsibility, and hope.

Mariah Levison is the CEO and President of Convergence, where she leads national efforts to build trust and consensus across divides on complex, often contentious issues. With a career rooted in collaborative problem-solving, Mariah brings deep expertise in mediation, facilitation, dialogue, and public engagement to create solutions grounded in shared understanding and mutual respect. 

She has over two decades of experience teaching conflict resolution—from community workshops to international government training—and co-authored From Conflict to Convergence with Convergence founder Rob Fersh.

Mariah holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a focus on conflict management from Washington University in St. Louis. Based in Minneapolis, she enjoys biking, cross-country skiing, and reading with her husband and two sons.

Melissa Zaksek is the Managing Director of the Erb Institute at the University of Michigan, where she leads initiatives to advance sustainable business practices through education, research, and stakeholder engagement. With a strong background in sustainability strategy and organizational leadership, Melissa plays a key role in shaping the institute’s mission: to harness the power of business for a more sustainable world.

Throughout her career, Melissa has championed interdisciplinary, collaborative approaches to address complex sustainability challenges. Driven by her commitment to education and systems change, Melissa is a dedicated mentor to emerging leaders and a passionate advocate for innovative solutions that create lasting social and environmental impact.

Rebecca Henderson is a University Professor at Harvard—one of only 25 to hold the highly distinguished title—where she focuses on the intersection of business, sustainability, and systemic change. A research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a fellow of both the British Academy and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Rebecca is recognized globally for her thought leadership on capitalism and corporate responsibility.

With over 25 years of experience serving on major public company boards, her work explores how the private sector can be a powerful force in building a sustainable and just economy. Her influential publications include Accelerating Energy Innovation, Leading Sustainable Change, Political Economy and Justice, and the widely acclaimed Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire, which was shortlisted for the FT/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award in 2020.

Rex Wackerle is the former Vice President and Director of Federal Affairs for Prudential Financial, where he was responsible for the oversight of Prudential’s activities in Washington, D.C., particularly all legislative and regulatory issues that affect the company within Congress, federal agencies, and the Administration. Prior to joining Prudential, Wackerle served as Senior Vice President and Director of Bank of America’s Federal and International Government Relations Office in Washington for six years. He now leads First Amendment Partners, a federal government consulting firm. He is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, the American Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Association of M.B.A. Executives.

Rich is a veteran corporate sustainability executive who has spent his career at the intersection of business, public policy, philanthropy and marketing/communications.  He most recently was Senior Vice President/Environmental Program Director on Bank of America’s Global Environmental Team.  In that role, Rich developed the bank’s environmental philanthropy strategy, helping direct more than $100 million in funding to sustainability-focus NGOs across the globe.  He also led the bank’s award-winning environmental employee engagement program, leading more than 25,000 employees in 34 countries in a broad range of educational and engagement activities.

Following nearly three decades in global legal, compliance and public affairs leadership roles at bp, Bob advises a variety of businesses, universities and nonprofits on the development and implementation of effective and enduring policies to promote secure, affordable and lower emissions energy solutions. He currently serves as a senior advisor to the Natural Gas Innovation Network (NGIN), the Duke Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, the Energy Emissions Modeling & Data Lab at UT Austin, Future 500, and the Harvard Law School Environmental & Energy Law Program.

Bonk is the founder and CEO of Business for America (BFA), a nonpartisan business membership organization that mobilizes companies to promote bipartisanship and strengthen democracy. She has over 20 years of experience in design, technology, and leadership at Fortune 500 companies, with expertise in strategy, organizational development, communications, and process improvement. She spent nearly 15 years at Apple in the Software, Retail, and Marketing Communications divisions. While pro bono consulting to nonpartisan political reform organizations, Bonk recognized that business engagement would be essential to reforming American government and founded BFA.

Stephen Davis is a senior fellow at Harvard Law School and co-organizer of the Capital+Constitution project. He is an architect of the field of international corporate governance, and directed the Yale School of Management’s Millstein Center for Corporate Governance and Performance. Davis co-authored The New Capitalists (Harvard Business School Press, 2006), What They Do With Your Money (Yale University Press, 2016), and Apartheid’s Rebels: Inside South Africa’s Hidden War (Yale University Press, 1987), nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Stephen has served on the US SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee, chaired Hermes EOS, and been a trustee of ShareAction. In 2024 Stephen received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Corporate Governance Network.

Thomas E. Bartell is Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (The Hartford). He supervises the Government & Industry Relations and Tax Law groups at The Hartford.

Bartell holds a B.S., Policy Analysis, from Cornell University, a J.D. from Cornell Law School, and an LL.M. in Insurance Law from University of Connecticut School of Law.

After completing undergraduate studies, Bartell was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy. After his service in the Navy, he attended law school and then entered private law practice at the law firm of Day, Berry & Howard (now Day, Pitney LLP) in Hartford, Connecticut. He joined The Hartford in 1996.

Tim Smith is the Senior Policy Advisor at the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), where he continues to shape the conversation around responsible political engagement that he helped pioneer more than 30 years ago as founding ICCR member. A trailblazer in responsible investing and corporate accountability for over five decades, Tim's present-day expertise and mentorship is an invaluable resource to the industry as it continues to evolve.

He serves as board chair for Shared Interest, supporting economic development in Southern Africa, and has advised numerous institutions throughout his career. His contributions have earned him widespread recognition, including Ethisphere’s “Top 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics,” ICCR’s Legacy Award, and honors from the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Joan Bavaria Awards.

Tim holds a BA from the University of Toronto and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary. His lifelong commitment to justice, transparency, and impact continues to shape the field of corporate responsibility.

Timothy Werner is a Professor of Business, Government & Society at the McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin. Werner’s research focuses on corporate political activity and its intersections with corporate social responsibility and corporate governance. His work has appeared in leading journals in management, political science, and law and economics, and he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on corporate political strategy, managing social and political risk, and political economy. Werner received his Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his B.A. from Rice University. 

Tony Bond is the Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Great Place to Work, the global research firm behind the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For and numerous workplace excellence rankings worldwide. A visionary leader in organizational culture and transformation, Tony plays a central role in shaping strategies that foster inclusive, high-performing workplaces across the globe.

With over 20 years of leadership experience at a Fortune 100 company, Tony is a strategic thought partner to leaders across industries, known for aligning business performance with purpose and impact.

He brings deep expertise in navigating complex cultural change. He has advised executives at multi-national organizations—including the NBA, Coca-Cola, Dow, AT&T, and American Express—on initiatives ranging from M&A integration to people strategy and human capital development. His work consistently drives business results while contributing to societal well-being.

Ulysses Smith is a leading lawyer and expert in the fields of sustainability, ESG, corporate social responsibility, rule of law and good governance. He has advised major multinationals, private equity and financial services firms, governments, and multilateral institutions on the full spectrum of sustainability and governance issues. He was recognized by the United Nations as one of ten global SDG pioneers and is a member of the UN Global Compact’s Expert Network, focused on sustainability and governance. He has held leadership positions including chairing the New York City Bar Association’s UN Committee, and is a frequent speaker and commentator, and sought-after advisor, on ESG, law, policy and global developments.

William Ury, cofounder of Harvard's Program on Negotiation, is one of the world's best-known and most influential experts on negotiation. He has served as a mediator in boardroom battles, labor conflicts, and civil wars around the world. Ury is the coauthor of Getting to Yes, the bestselling negotiation book in the world, and seven other books, including the New York Times bestsellers Getting Past No and The Power of a Positive No. An avid hiker, he lives with his family in Colorado.